Campaign 2026 Just Started
Time To Plan Ahead
If you think returning Donald Trump to the White House and having Congress under GOP control gives you the leisure to wrap up your tent and go home, guess again.
Believe it or not, the 2026 campaign for mid-term elections at the federal and state levels has already kicked off. To defend your Second Amendment rights, you need to be on your toes. Now is the time to get busy with the following goals in mind:
• Retain control of the U.S. Senate by increasing the traditionally pro-gun Republican majority, which will guarantee GOP control of the Judiciary Committee where presidential court nominations are handled.
• Increase Republican House control, which should make it easier for passage of national reciprocity legislation, which Trump said he would sign. It also will strengthen the ability of the House Committee on Oversight and Accountability to dig into government waste and misconduct, especially misconduct of the ATF.
• Focus on defeating anti-gun politicians who will be up for re-election in ’26. Traditionally, mid-term elections usually cost the majority party some seats. Make a commitment right now to prevent this from happening.
• Work on ridding your state legislature of every anti-gun zealot possible. Most of these people are in “safe” districts, but identify districts where some individuals are vulnerable. Every victory will count.
Here’s the ugly truth — Gun prohibitionists are a determined bunch and just because you voted last fall and helped keep Kamala Harris out of the White House, doesn’t mean your job is finished. The work has actually just started because to mount an effective 2A Defense, it’s up to Second Amendment activists to keep them out of power for the full Trump term. The true victory will happen in 2026.
Remember how laughable it was last November following the election to hear perennial anti-gunner Sen. Schumer trying to play nice with Republicans and call for cooperation? When Schumer and the Democrats have the majority, they are never willing to cooperate. Turnabout is fair play, and it’s up to gun voters to convince Republicans they are in control and should act like it. You helped put them in charge, and you deserve some gains as a result.
One of the more important tasks is to remind Republicans a) You’re behind them and will support them for defending and restoring your gun rights, and b) The press reflexively dislikes them and trying to play nice with the media isn’t going to do them any good at all … and this comes from a career journalist.
Probably the biggest fault of Republicans is they try to be congenial. It’s like trying to pet a bison in Yellowstone Park and all we’ve seen are plenty of videos showing how well that works. Democrats, when they are in control, aren’t congenial at all. They willingly get right down in the mud if they think it is necessary, and the GOP needs to get right down there and beat them at it. Dems don’t really negotiate — patronizing isn’t negotiating — and at the end of the day, when they win, that’s the only thing they see as important. They don’t care about your arguments, your feelings or your fundamental rights. Winning is power, and power is everything.
In politics, a month can be an eternity, while 18 months can go by in a flash. The November 2026 elections will be here before you know it and every politician is preparing for the election. The gun ban bunch is already seeking and grooming candidates, and you need to do likewise.
It’s April ’25 … So What?
Right, we’re looking at the same calendar you are. Spring is in the air and nobody wants to think about politics. We’re back on Daylight Savings time. We look outside and trees are blossoming, farmers are seeding their croplands, the baseball season is getting cranked up and everybody wants to go bass or trout fishing — except for those who live, breathe and thrive on politics. While you’re barbecuing hamburgers and hot dogs, they’re planning to cook your political goose; raising money for next year’s campaign, raising more money for legal actions and networking with like-minded gun grabbers, while waiting for a tragedy they can exploit.
A few years ago, I wrote a book with gun rights guru Alan Gottlieb titled Dancing in Blood: Exposing the Gun Ban Lobby’s Playbook to Destroy Your Rights. It exposed the gun control strategy which is still today’s blueprint. It also provided hints about how to beat anti-gunners.
Start right now looking at possible candidates for 2026, especially in so-called “swing districts” where the vote might be swayed by as little as a 1–2 percent voter shift. If you’re someone who can never support anybody who doesn’t adhere to your personal ideals, consider running yourself.
Now think like a Democrat gun control fanatic. First, last and always, they’ve learned to keep their philosophical battles out of the public eye as much as possible. The problem with Republicans and especially some gun rights activists is they do their bickering in public, throwing around such terms as “traitor” and “RINO” for all to see. This sort of behavior turns people off, jeopardizes credibility and ultimately costs votes. They may feel superior in self-righteousness, but what do they really accomplish?
By early August or September of this year, you should have potential candidates identified for positions up and down the ballot. Remember, every U.S. House seat will be up for grabs and so will several seats in the U.S. Senate. Your state legislatures should also be holding elections along with municipal and judicial elections. All of these matter.
Things to look for —
1) Announcements by any sitting lawmaker they will not be running for re-election. It’s a signal to pounce; find someone to run for that soon-to-be-open seat and help them put together a winning platform.
2) News agencies playing nice with conservatives. It’s a sham strategy to lull people into thinking they’re going to get a fair shake. Don’t bet on it.
Defending the Second Amendment is a 24/7/365 endeavor. The other side works around the clock to erode the right to keep and bear arms. If you want to beat them at their own game, you can never be asleep at the wheel because that is when you typically crash and burn.
